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Oklahoma Considers Ban on Accident Response Fees

HB 2013 addresses several issues including a ban on the practice of local governments attempting to impose “accident response fees” when there is a traffic accident requiring law enforcement attention. These fees are becoming more common across the country, as collection companies try to convince governments that this is a painless way to get cash that will be collected only from visitors and insurance companies.

What this really amounts to is Double Taxation.

Citizens should not have to pay for a public safety service through taxes then again when they are in need of that service. For this reason, state legislatures across the country are prohibiting this gouging of taxpayers.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING

HB 2013 is close to passage. In addition to the accident response fee ban, the bill contains many other important pieces of legislation, such as a provision to improve the On-Line Verification System.

The local governments are trying to counter the ban on double taxation by confusing the issue by stating that no one in Oklahoma charges the fees (so then why object to the bill?) and that it could prevent emergency services providers for billing for ambulance runs (it won’t).

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS – BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE – ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT HB 2013.

We ask that you either e-mail or call your legislator. Please give your name, company, and address, then provide the following information:

Accident response fees are double taxation. Despite what some say, they are rarely covered by insurance since they are not property damage or medical bills.

Most cities do not collect as much as they thought after deducting the fees they pay to vendors, waiving the fee charged to angry citizens, etc.

HB 2013 does not interfere with legitimate fees cities provide for services such as ambulances.

An increasing number of states are outlawing accident response fees, as legislators know that citizens do not want them. This year the Arkansas Senate passed a ban 35-0 and the Arkansas House followed suit by passing the ban 87-7.